Disease Trends and Reporting
There is no national reporting or surveillance system for Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections.
Estimated incidence
M. pneumoniae infections are common, but the true number of people affected is unknown. An estimated 2 million cases of M. pneumoniae infections occur each year in the United States.
Trends over time
The number of M. pneumoniae infections varies over time, with peaks of disease every 3 to 7 years. This illness can happen any time during the year but may be more common in summer and early fall.
Outbreaks
Outbreaks occur mostly in crowded environments like college residence halls and nursing homes. Outbreaks can be prolonged due to the long incubation period of M. pneumoniae. Visit the Publications page for articles on a sample of outbreaks that involved M. pneumoniae.
- Marston BJ, Plouffe JF, File Jr TM, et al. Incidence of community-acquired pneumonia requiring hospitalization. Results of a population-based active surveillance study in Ohio. The Community-Based Pneumonia Incidence Study Group. Arch Intern Med. 1997;157:1709–18.
- Porath A, Schlaeffer F, Lieberman D. The epidemiology of community-acquired pneumonia among hospitalized adults. J Infect. 1997;34:41–8.
- Winchell JM. Mycoplasma pneumoniae – A national public health perspective. Curr Pediatr Rev. 2013;9(4):324–33.